I have only eaten about 800 calories today,and it's after dinner. But I am so full! I feel like I have eaten so much! And according to my nutrition planner on spark people, I need more carbs as well! I am so confused. This isn't the first time this has happened to me. I thought the opposite would happen, I thought I'd have to eat LESS!

So I still need 400 calories for the day. What is the best thing to eat to fill up calories? I'm trying to get used to eating less, so I don't want to just shove food down my throat. I'd rather take advantage of the extra calories to get some good vitamins and fiber in.
What do you guys suggest?

Thanks!
-Lauren

When this has happened before, what happens the next day?

I have days like that sometimes. It's usually when I'm being sedentary and when I figure in the next few days it evens out. Some days (like a few days ago) I'm just not incredibly hungry and my calories are around 800-1000, but the next day is usually normal, if not a bit higher. If you are frequently losing your appetite, that can be a sign of trouble, so just keep an eye on it.

EDIT: It also happens at the very end of TOM sometimes. Hormones, I guess

So as long as I make up for it tomorrow, I should be fine?
Sorry, I'm still learning.

Not necessarly "make up for it", but if you average the calories from the days around today and it evens out, I wouldn't be concerned. It's along the lines of calorie cycling. I'm just not one of those people that eats the same number of calories every day (although I do have a limit)- which for me is good because it means that I'm paying attention to my body.

But like I said, just be sure you aren't having repeated days of loss of appetite.

Are you certain you're that far under your target calories for the day? Unless all you eat is egg whites, it's hard to actually eat and not reach 1000 calories at least. How are you measuring portions?

I live in dorms so I eat a lot of pre-packaged foods. I mostly get my nutritional info from the boxes/bags they came in, so I know that it's accurate. Other than that, everything could be a little off, sure, but 400 calories off? I'm really good at measuring portions, so I know I can't be TOO off...

Gotcha. One thing to be said for packaged food is you know how much you're eating of it.

yeah, that's for sure.
But yeah, I ended up eating a peanut butter granola bar and a cup of orange juice. Upped it to about 1,100 calories. I'm just gonna stick with that because 100 calories probably sneaked in there somehow!

I think it's pretty safe to assume that if you're listening to your body, you're fine! A low cal day every here and there isn't going to kill you, just try not to do it too often.

I agree w/ djs... I have these days often, but if I feel satisfied then I'm not going to force food down my throat... I'm also a college student and eat a lot of prepackaged food, I also use thedailyplate.com, and sometimes, I just don't get to my target amount of calories. Just be sure to listen to your body and eat when hungry and stop when full... be sure to get in plenty of fruits, veggies, and water and you will be fine! Your body will let you know if you are not getting enough calories..
P.S. the granola bar and orange juice was a good choice

I like to eat nuts and clementines - a small quantity is a perfect snack. Clementines are smaller than oranges and easy to peel (lol, I stick them in my purse in the morning) - vitamin c, fiber, invigorating smell, etc. Nuts (I like raw, unsalted almonds) are higher in fat and calories, but a small handful really gets me over the afternoon hump/late night snack urge.